“The Lunchroom Murder”
On an otherwise uneventful Thursday afternoon police heard a shot inside Ernie’s Lunchroom, rushed in, and found the scene.
They identified the body as that of a prominent racketeer named Fannin.
Ernie, who is both the owner and only employee, had only one fact to tell: the murderer had leaned against the wall while firing at point-blank range. The imprint of his hand is in clear view.
The cash register has just been rung up at $8.75. This is a difficult case. Your investigative team must attempt to determine which of the people in the lunchroom killed Fannin.
You will have to observe the details carefully. There is enough evidence to help you explain most of what happened.
1. With what hand did the shooter fire the gun? What is the evidence? So that must mean what?
2. Did customers B, C, and D know each other? Evidence? What is customer A doing?
3. How do the three customers differ in their habits or ways of doing things? What is the evidence and what does it mean?
4. Which set of footprints are Ernie’s? What is the evidence?
5. To whom do the set of footprints marked X belong? How do you know?
6. Who killed Fannin? How do you know? Outline all the evidence and all of the warrants necessary to support this claim.
When I arrived at the lunchroom, the first thing I noticed was the dead
body on the floor. Not only that but there were footprints on the floor
and a handprint on the wall. Dishes were on the counter and the cash
register was open with money still in it. It was hard to figure the question
everyone wondered about, “Who killed Fannin?” After long analyzing
it hit us. The handprint on the wall was right-handed, because
the thumb pointed to the left. Ernie had only one thing to say, the murderer
had leaned against the wall while firing at point-blank range.
Since it is a right-hand print, the killer must be left-handed.
So knowing that, we looked at where the customers were
eating. Customer C is the only left-handed one, because his utencils
and cup were on the left side of his plate. So customer C is
the killer of Fannin.
Customer A had tiptoed out into the kitchen. We know because
of the footprints. They show him going out to the kitchen,
and he wouldn’t have been able to put his right-hand print onto
the wall because the wall was to his left